If you are one of the lucky ones who applied for the Queensland Solar Bonus Scheme before 10 July 2012 you will currently be receiving 44c for every kW your system produces and you will keep receiving that right up until 1 July 2028 (yes that’s right there is an expiry)

Unfortunately with the guidelines not being clearly explained people have lost this this tariff and ended up on the not so great 8c per kW rebate.

Just to make it clear when we throw figures like 44c and 8c around that is what Energex is paying the electricity providers. Different electricity providers will pay you different amounts, for example if you have signed up to a new electricity provider recently you may be getting as little as 6c per kW.

Having a rebate of 6c per kW is not ideal at all. In fact it is barely worth having solar installed in the first place.

So if you are currently receiving the 44c rebate here are a few tips on how to NOT lose that tariff.

  1. Sell or Rent – if you sell or rent your house the new electricity account holder will have to sign up to a new electricity account and they will not receive the 44c tariff.
  2. Move House – If you move house you are not allowed to take your solar system with you which means if you move to a new property with solar or decide to have solar installed on your new property you will not receive the 44c tariff.
  3. Disconnection – if for example you forget to pay your bill or breach you contract with your electricity provider they will have the power to remove you from the 44c tariff eligibility.
  4. Replacement – You can replace your inverter with the same size or smaller inverter but if you replace it with a larger inverter you will lose your eligibility.
  5. Additions – Adding extra solar panels to your systems is fine as long as you notify your electricity provider, failing to do so could possibly result in you losing the 44c tariff.

For more information head to the Queensland Government Solar Bonus Scheme website